Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with the cardiac disease markers and methods of detection of Gb3 and other glycolipid markers in body fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,886 issued to Grior et al. (2008) discloses a test for Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) a clinically useful biochemical marker of cardiovascular risk. Risk assessment includes the step of detecting in the blood of a person MIF concentration as a marker of cardiovascular risk for the person. The method of the '886 patent may further comprise the step of assigning to the person a cardiovascular risk metric proportional to the MIF concentration, and/or prescribing for the person a cardiovascular treatment modality in accordance with the MIF concentration. The method is useful as a primary screen, and may be used in conjunction with or as a substitute for additional tests, such as a stress test, CRP assay, LDL assay, etc. The detecting step may be repeated over time intervals and/or treatment to monitor change in cardiovascular risk for the person over time and/or treatment.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20040132688 (Griffin, et al., 2003) relates to plasma glucosylceramide deficiency as risk factor for thrombosis and modulator of anticoagulant protein C. According to Griffin, exogenously added glycosylceramide (GlcCer) and other neutral glycolipids such as the homologous Glc-containing globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer), dose-dependently prolonged clotting times of normal plasma in the presence but not absence of APC: protein S, indicating GlcCer or Gb3Cer can enhance protein C pathway anticoagulant activity. In studies using purified proteins, inactivation of factor Va by APC: protein S was enhanced by GlcCer alone and by GlcCer, globotriaosylceramide, lactosylceramide, and galactosylceramide in multicomponent vesicles containing phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine. Thus, the Griffin invention provides neutral glycolipids such as GlcCer and Gb3Cer, as anticoagulant cofactors that contribute to the antithrombotic activity of the protein C pathway. The Griffin invention states that a deficiency of plasma GlcCer is a risk factor for thrombosis. Methods are provided to determine individuals at risk for thrombosis, methods of treatment as well as methods of screening for antithrombotic factors from neutral glycolipids.